From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Funke Akindele on her record-setting film ‘A Tribe Called Judah’, which broke box office records within 21 days of its release in cinemas to become the first Nollywood film to gross N1 billion.
The president commended the ace thespian for her contributions to the growth of the industry.
In a statement issued by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu also celebrated the ingenuity, creativity, and immense artistic talents of Nigeria’s thriving entertainment industry.
He extolled the excellence of the Nigerian creative industry, acknowledging its pivotal place as a medium not only for artistic expression but also a source of enormous soft power and viable export.
“The creative industry is one of the high-employment sectors, providing jobs for our able and talented youths. It is an industry that is crucial to my administration.
salute Nigerians for their enduring support and patronage of homegrown creative efforts. We will provide the conducive environment for the industry to thrive further,” President Tinubu stated.
The movie, which was released on December 15 2023, has continued to break records, becoming the first to gross over N133 million in its opening weekend, became the highest-grossing Nollywood film for the year 2023 after grossing over N613 millions within the first 14 days of its release.
The film made history on January 2, as it emerged as the highest-grossing Nollywood film ever with a reported N854 million at the box office within 18 days in cinemas.
This feat has surpassed Akindele’s previous films ‘Battle on Buka Street’ (N668.4 million), and ’Omo Ghetto’ (N636.1 million) which currently sit as the second and third highest-grossing films at the Nigerian box office respectively.